SUBMITTED PHOTO KAREN-ANNE CHERWONOGRODZKY Fourteen historic Medicine Hat resources were evaluated by consultants and also by the public through an open house. The Porter residence is featured.
It is exciting and rewarding to see projects come to fruition. There have been a few such projects this summer.
First was the excitement when I opened the box from the printers that contained the Heritage Resources Committee walking tour booklet of the First Street South Municipal Historic Area. After months of research by our committee member, Sally Sehn, multiple edits, taking the perfect photos, and working with a designer, we had our finished product. It is an interesting 36 page resource. You can obtain a copy for $5 at the Esplanade guest services, and depending on public interest, Sally will offer a walking tour. Who better than the researcher and author to give the tour?
She is able to share her personal stories from childhood when she lived on First Street S.E. If Sally is available and the weather suitable, tours may be arranged for a Saturday or Sunday morning. To book a tour, give me a call at 403-525-8607 or contact me by email at kacherwono@shaw.ca. Booklets are also available at the Tourist Centre but tour bookings are available only by contacting me directly.
Another project that was realized was the planting of two trees in the backyard of the Ewart Duggan House Heritage Garden. After extensive research to choose suitable trees reflecting the historical time period, and determining suitable locations, a Honeycrisp Apple Tree and a Princess Kay Plum were planted on July 5. If you have not yet had the opportunity to enjoy the heritage garden this summer, I would encourage you to do so. If visiting this fall, you may spot an empty flower bed. This is because projects are ongoing and volunteer gardeners will be getting a flower bed ready so that a pollinator garden may be started from seeds next spring.
The third project that recently came to a close is the 2017 Historic Inventory Project. Through cost-shared funding (provided by the Alberta Lottery Fund, the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation and the City of Medicine Hat),14 historic resources were evaluated this past year by heritage consultants in conjunction with the Heritage Resources Committee and city staff. As well, feedback on the evaluated resources was gained from the public through an open house. This has brought the total of evaluated resources to 66. The publication of all the evaluated resources are found on the city website under the “inventory” link at the following site: http://www.medicinehat.ca/heritage.
I found the evaluations of the Cousins Log Cabin, Central Park, St. Patrick’s Church and the Porter residence of particular interest. The Porter residence, constructed circa 1894, is valued as one of the city’s earliest residences and is featured as well in our Historic Walking Tour booklet.
Stay tuned, as plans are still in the works for our Municipal Historic Resource Designation plaque unveiling for the last remaining Civil Defence Siren located on the Southeast Hill near Division Avenue and Fourth Street. Recently a dismantled siren restored for the city by the Canadian Civil Defence Museum and Archives was returned to the city. It is planned to have it on display at the Esplanade in the near future.
Karen-Anne Cherwonogrodzky is Heritage Assistant at the Esplanade.
